Of Course Major League Baseball Wants To Scrub This Mets Video

It’s no secret that Major League Baseball is concerned about its future growth potential and its ability to connect with younger demographics. Increased strikeout rates and shifts have dulled on-field action and despite efforts to increase pace of play, it still very much remains an issue, so much so that it was one of several items discussed at this week’s owners’ meetings.

Despite this, I would argue that the league’s biggest obstacle in resonating with younger sports fans is itself. For instance, it is a GIFT when a fascinating two-year-old video mysteriously surfaces on social media of a manager losing his fucking mind at an umpire after a failed retaliation. This here is a gift:

You probably know by now that Chase Utley blew up the leg of Mets infielder Ruben Tejada during the 2015 MLB postseason. Utley was initially suspended for two games, but that ruling was later overturned on appeal, and the Mets decided to take matters into their own hands. That’s INTERESTING. There’s profanity. There’s emotion. There’s intrigue. Moreover, there’s an authenticity to the video that unveils the game’s unspoken codes and unwritten rules and makes them lucid to the average consumer.

Baseball should want this. The video even makes former Mets manager Terry Collins, who has the likability of a wasp, seem somewhat favorable. So, of course, it’s no surprise that the league is apparently working to scrub the video from the internet. From Philly.com:

“Getting angry about that, there’s not really much of a point in that,” Manfred said. “I think it’s more important that we make clear to our employees that we’re doing everything possible to live up to our agreement, and that we figure out how it happened so it doesn’t happen again.”

Yeah, definitely wouldn’t want a compelling video that generates some fun buzz around the game floating around out there. That’s about right.

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Bob Wankel covers the Phillies, breaking news, and sports gambling for Crossing Broad. He is also a producer and co-host of Crossed Up: A Phillies Podcast.
A South Jersey resident and graduate of Monmouth University, his past work includes six seasons as a freelance producer at NFL Films.
On Twitter: @BWCrossingbroad
E-mail: Bob@crossingbroad.com

If you want to bring up viewership mike everybody without censorshipJune 16, 2018 at 9:40 am

That’s what viewers want. I used to love the hockey series on the premium movie channels. Road to the Winter Classic and Quest For The Cup. You heard the players and linesmen going off on each other and the players f-bombing all over the place. I guarantee ratings would go through the roof if were able to listen in on the field and the ice.